


Fraternising

by Gaqalesqua



Series: Requests [4]
Category: Fallout (Video Games), Fallout 4
Genre: Babies, Cuddling & Snuggling, F/M, Fluff, Kissing, Polyamory, and some stroking, but no sex, request, shocker I know, there's a little bit of neck kissing too
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-07-07
Updated: 2016-07-07
Packaged: 2018-07-22 01:03:58
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,137
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7412362
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Gaqalesqua/pseuds/Gaqalesqua
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Nora drops a bomb. A tumblr request from ninjatwins.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Fraternising

**Author's Note:**

  * For [artimusdin](https://archiveofourown.org/users/artimusdin/gifts).



“How long’s that been going?” Nora breathed, wincing at the amount of shouting coming from the Elder’s room. Danse shrugged, brow furrowed.

“I went in ten minutes ago and they hadn’t raised their voices yet, but, Arthur was having to viciously defend your honour,” he replied.

“What’s so bad about me?” she chuckled. Danse made a face.

“McNamara was worried about you being in the Enclave,” he admitted.

“The what?”

“Remnants of the old U.S Government. They consider themselves above Wastelanders like me, and above the Brotherhood too. We’ve fought them before. Roger Maxson deserted the U.S Government after his discovery at Mariposa, and we’ll be damned if we ever let them get back on their feet,” Danse replied.

“So why would I be in the Enclave?” Nora asked.

“You spent several months technically unaccounted for,” Danse began. “They were worried that someone with your DNA might have been approached by any Enclave remnants.”

“Oh joy,” Nora muttered, “my genetics are at it again.” She rolled her eyes. “I hope McNamara’s got a good explanation as to why if the Enclave knew about me they left me frozen for all this time. Because I’d be intrigued to hear what he has to say.”

“Casdin described you as a bleeding heart,” Danse added.

“Casdin hasn’t provided Elder Maxson with two heirs to continue the Maxson name,” Nora growled. Danse smiled softly. “He can bitch about my bleeding heart all he wants.”

“I haven’t ever seen you like this,” the Paladin said.

“Well, I’m being cross-examined by a bunch of strangers who seem to be lining up to disapprove of me,” she pointed out, as the yelling continued in the background.

“Understandable, ma’am,” Danse agreed. “Want me to go in and check on him?”

“No, I think I’ll pull rank on you and do it myself,” she said, her frown slipping into a small smile. She leaned forward, opening the door, and stepping inside.

“It’s fraternisation,” a voice on the radio was protesting, as Arthur rolled his eyes with a growl. “Plain and simple.”

The Elder turned to look at her with an exhausted expression. The three Proctors, standing around the room, raised their brows in despair.

“Then what do you want from me?” he asked, folding his arms as though the radio could see him.

“She’s a rank and file soldier, no matter her origins,” the radio replied.

“She’s my Sentinel,” he pointed out.

“Then her place is in the field, not your bed. And besides, how are you certain of the legitimacy of your offspring? You’ve already admitted she shares a relationship with Danse!”

“That’s too far, Casdin,” Arthur barked, as Nora’s jaw tightened. “Knight Captain Cade has run DNA tests, multiple ones, to ensure we didn’t confuse each other’s children. The boys are mine.”

“I stand by my point of fraternisation,” Casdin added. “Roger Maxson would never have accepted this kind of relationship between two soldiers! As if he would approve of a three-way marriage between yourself, the Paladin and your Sentinel!”

The noise that left Nora before she stifled it with her hand silenced both the radio and Arthur Maxson.

“…Is the Sentinel in the room?” Casdin asked.

“Yes,” she began, with a strangled gasp. “…Hi.”

“You’re Maxson’s new bride?”

“Mhmm,” she managed.

“Sentinel,” Maxson hissed, “this isn’t the time.”

“Sorry!” she choked out. “Sorry.”

“Bring her to meet the rest of the Brotherhood,” Casdin ordered. “If we don’t find her to be a good match, you will be getting rid of her and marrying an approved consort. This level of…of intimacy between active members is a danger to us.”

“Oh my god,” Nora breathed, turning away.

“Fine. Set us a date. Radio the co-ordinates when you’re prepared. Maxson out.”

The Elder swivelled on his heel to fix her with a glare.

“Care to explain?”

“I’m sorry,” she wheezed, sitting down, laughter bubbling out of her throat. “When he…sorry…about the relationship, he mentioned Roger…and fraternisation, he doesn’t…I didn’t think they’d…oh god, sorry, two minutes…”

Arthur watched her giggle to herself for a bit, brows furrowing.

“This isn’t the time to be laughing, Sentinel,” Ingram sighed. “This is a delicate situation.”

“If the other Elders don’t like you, they won’t cast their votes for Elder Maxson to be High Elder…and she’s…still…laughing,” Quinlan managed.

“Pull yourself together,” Teagan growled.

“Sorry!” Nora wheezed, attempting to calm herself. “Very serious. Sorry. Right.”

“What was all that about?” Arthur asked, as Danse opened the door.

“Casdin…I doubt any of the Elders…or soldiers…would have recorded Roger’s…how do I put this? His…relationships,” Nora began. “He…well, you know that Nate knew him, but…he knew him… _very well_ , if you…get my meaning.”

The Elder’s eyes widened.

“Wait, your husband fought alongside Roger Maxson?” Ingram asked.

“Why was I not made aware of this?!” Quinlan barked. “This is one for the official records!”

“Quinlan, I’m not sure the records need to know that Roger Maxson and his best friend were…closer than best friends for many years,” Nora giggled weakly. “ _Very_ close. Shared a bed. A lot of times. Um…sometimes it was a wall. Probably the…probably the showers too.”

She looked up. Arthur’s face was red, Quinlan looked stricken, Teagan confused, and Ingram shocked.

“So…Roger Maxson was _very_ keen on fraternisation,” she finished. The Elder looked around the room at the Proctors.

“This information stays here, between the six of us,” he finally said. “If you will, please, I have to talk to my Sentinel.”

Quinlan darted from the room first, followed by Teagan, then Ingram. The Elder slammed the door shut behind them and turned to Nora, his face thunderous.

“Would you like to explain what that was about?” he asked.

“You didn’t tell them I knew Roger Maxson?” she inquired. The expression dropped into faint embarrassment.

“It slipped my mind. I…I was busy,” he replied.

“Busy?”

“You’re a distracting woman, Sentinel.” He coughed. “As you’ve just demonstrated. What was all that about?”

“I just…sorry, when he mentioned Roger not approving of the relationship, all I can think of is a story Nate told me about the two of them getting caught in a shower together,” she admitted.

“So when you say your husband _knew_ the first Elder…”

“I mean they fought side by side and slept together for a while until Roger met his wife,” Nora finished.

Arthur took a seat, heavily.

“I can see why they kept this off the official records, particularly if anyone ever found out,” he finally said. Nora put her hand on his arm.

“Hey, I’m sorry if this bothers you,” she murmured. “I know I found it funny that my husband was…with your ancestor for a bit because of how Casdin was acting, but I don’t mind if you don’t want me to talk about it.”

“It’s not something I expected to hear,” the Elder replied. “I’m not sure what to think.”

“It’s certainly unexpected news,” Danse agreed. “Have you got any stories less…uh…”

“Well I can tell you that the Brotherhood got its jumping initiation from Roger,” she said. “He and Nate used to see who could drop into their mission off a vertibird from the greatest height. He got in trouble for it too.”

“What was his record?” Arthur asked. “I need a drink,” he added, getting up to grab a bottle of scotch.

“I can’t remember,” she sighed. “Nate used to brag that he jumped further, but Roger always said Nate was lying, so I never bothered pursuing any real details.”

“I guess I never thought what he’d be like,” the Elder admitted. “I pictured him as regal and shakeable but not full of himself.”

“He was a good man,” Nora told him. “Kind, encouraging. Looked like a soldier, your typical tall, broad army build. Like you.”

She watched the Elder blush.

“I forget how much you enjoy being compared to him,” she murmured.

“That’s not a realisation you should take advantage of,” he warned, handing her a glass of liquor. She chuckled into the glass.

“So what do we do about Casdin and McNamara?” she asked, after taking a sip. She passed another glass to Danse, who was already watching the two of them in interest.

“We’ll have to strategise,” Arthur responded. “McNamara was less opposed and more concerned. It’s Casdin that might have an issue.”

“So how do we get around Casdin?” Danse murmured.

“I don’t know yet,” Arthur admitted. He looked at Nora. “But I’m not letting them tear up a perfectly good relationship just because they don’t approve.”

She slid her fingers over his palm and brushed them just inside the sleeve of his coat, fingertips stroking his pulse.

“And if we can’t secure their votes?” the Paladin asked.

“Then I stay the Elder of the East Coast Brotherhood, with my Sentinel at my side,” Arthur said calmly. “And someone else becomes High Elder.”

Nora moved over to kiss him softly. The Elder made a gentle, contented noise and put the scotch down as she slid her hands into his. A moment later he was on his feet, wrapping an arm around her waist and picking her up, moving the two of them to the couch and placing her down. Danse was behind her before she knew it, warm hands on her hips and stroking down her thighs. Nora sighed gently and leaned against the Paladin as Arthur’s lips moved to her neck.  

“Not concerned with politics right now?” she chuckled. Arthur shed his coat and she lost the ability to breathe, eyes widening. She loved the sight of him in the black jumpsuit.

“They’re half a continent away, and you’re right here,” he breathed, as Danse’s tongue stroked up her jaw.

“Elder Maxson’s logic is flawless,” Danse agreed with a soft purr as she reached for his hair and stroked it. The Paladin’s fingers drew up her stomach, moving across her body to the zip of her suit as Arthur nipped at her neck and trailed over the insides of her thighs.

There was a sudden knock at the door, and they sprang up from the couch. Nora audibly sighed, until Codsworth’s voice came from the other side of the metal.

“Ma’am?” he called. “The little ones have woken, and they refuse to settle.”

“Okay,” Nora groaned, clambering out from between the two soldiers, who leaned back against the couch in a slash of black and orange as she disappeared out of the door, following the unit to the three little cribs in a side room near the quarters. “You made sure they were changed, right, Codsy?” she asked, leaning over her son’s bed.

“First thing I did,” the Mr Handy confirmed. “I believe they simply require parental affection.”

She reached for the first child and picked him up with a small sigh, listening to him complain in her arms for a moment before she headed back to Maxson’s room, patting his back.

“Danse, could you take Felix for me?” she asked, and the Paladin reached out and took his son from Nora, adjusting him in his arms and stroking the tiny, soft face with a single finger. She left, returning a moment later with another baby.

“You want me to take him?” Arthur inquired.

“Yes please. Dev’s still complaining and I need a free hand to hold him,” she replied, handing the little boy over to the Elder. She stayed long enough to make sure he was being held correctly, and then went back to retrieve the third baby, kicking the door shut behind her and taking her seat on the couch. Danse shuffled closer to her, as did Arthur, and Nora let out a long, frustrated sigh.

“Ohhhhh DevJay,” she muttered, kissing the baby on the head, “Mom was a little busy.”

“Guess your little brother woke you up,” Arthur murmured to the boy in his arms.

“And then they both stirred Felix,” Danse sighed.

“It might not have been Dev who woke first,” Nora pointed out. Arthur looked up.

“Alfie doesn’t wake up at night,” he responded. “When’s the last time he did?”

“Good question,” Nora agreed. “Which makes you the culprit, Dev.”

The child in question burped in response. Nora’s nose wrinkled. The Elder snorted somewhere to her left, and she gazed at him, her expression warm. A moment later, Felix began making funny noises, and the Vault dweller turned her head to see Danse flicking his finger back and forth over the baby’s mouth.

“Oh my god,” she giggled, and Danse looked up, an embarrassed smile on his face.

“So, since we’re stuck here until these three get back to sleep,” Arthur began, letting his son grab his finger, “Sentinel…will you tell me more about my ancestor?”


End file.
